Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Tunable polymer multi-shape memory effect

Nature volume 464, pages 267–270 (2010)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Shape memory polymers are materials that can memorize temporary shapes and revert to their permanent shape upon exposure to an external stimulus such as heat1, light2,3, moisture4 or magnetic field5. Such properties have enabled a variety of applications including deployable space structures6, biomedical devices7,8, adaptive optical devices9, smart dry adhesives10 and fasteners11. The ultimate potential for a shape memory polymer, however, is limited by the number of temporary shapes it can memorize in each shape memory cycle and the ability to tune the shape memory transition temperature(s) for the targeted applications. Currently known shape memory polymers are capable of memorizing one or two temporary shapes, corresponding to dual- and triple-shape memory effects (also counting the permanent shape), respectively11,12,13. At the molecular level, the maximum number of temporary shapes a shape memory polymer can memorize correlates directly to the number of discrete reversible phase transitions (shape memory transitions) in the polymer11,12,13. Intuitively, one might deduce that multi-shape memory effects are achievable simply by introducing additional reversible phase transitions. The task of synthesizing a polymer with more than two distinctive and strongly bonded13 reversible phases, however, is extremely challenging. Tuning shape memory effects, on the other hand, is often achieved through tailoring the shape memory transition temperatures, which requires alteration in the material composition14,15,16. Here I show that the perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer (PFSA), which has only one broad reversible phase transition, exhibits dual-, triple-, and at least quadruple-shape memory effects, all highly tunable without any change to the material composition.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Structure, dynamic mechanical, and dual-shape memory properties of PFSA.
Figure 2: Triple-shape memory properties of PFSA.
Figure 3: Quadruple-shape memory properties of PFSA.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Liu, C., Qin, H. & Mather, P. T. Review of progress in shape-memory polymers. J. Mater. Chem. 17, 1543–1558 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lendlein, A., Jiang, H., Junger, O. & Langer, R. Light-induced shape-memory polymers. Nature 434, 879–882 (2005)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Koerner, H. et al. Remotely actuated polymer nanocomposites—stress-recovery of carbon-nanotube-filled thermoplastic elastomers. Nature Mater. 3, 115–120 (2004)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Huang, W. et al. Water-driven programmable polyurethane shape memory polymer: demonstration and mechanism. Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 114105 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Mohr, R. et al. Initiation of shape-memory effect by inductive heating of magnetic nanoparticles in thermoplastic polymers. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 103, 3540–3545 (2006)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. NASA. Elastic memory composite hinges tested on shuttle. NASA Tech. Briefs 31, 20 〈http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/1344〉 (2007)

  7. Lendlein, A. & Langer, R. Biodegradable, elastic shape-memory polymers for potential biomedical applications. Science 296, 1673–1676 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Yakacki, C. M. et al. Strong, tailored, biocompatible shape-memory polymer networks. Adv. Funct. Mater. 18, 2428–2435 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kunzelman, J., Chung, T., Mather, P. T. & Weder, C. Shape memory polymers with built-in threshold temperature sensors. J. Mater. Chem. 18, 1082–1086 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Xie, T. & Xiao, X. Self-peeling reversible dry adhesive. Chem. Mater. 20, 2866–2868 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Bellin, I., Kelch, S., Langer, R. & Lendlein, A. Polymeric triple-shape materials. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 103, 18043–18047 (2006)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Behl, M. et al. One-step process for creating triple-shape capability of AB polymer networks. Adv. Funct. Mater. 19, 102–108 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Xie, T., Xiao, X. & Cheng, Y. T. Revealing triple-shape memory effect by polymer bilayers. Macromol. Rapid Commun. 30, 1823–1827 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Xie, T. & Rousseau, I. A. Facile tailoring of thermal transition temperatures of epoxy shape memory polymers. Polymer 50, 1852–1856 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Liu, C. & Mather, P. T. Thermomechanical characterization of a tailored series of shape memory polymers. J. Appl. Med. Polym. 6, 47–52 (2002)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Liu, C. et al. Chemically cross-linked polycyclooctene: synthesis, characterization, and shape memory behavior. Macromolecules 35, 9868–9874 (2002)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Mauritz, K. A. & Moore, R. B. State of understanding of Nafion. Chem. Rev. 104, 4535–4585 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Page, K. A., Cable, K. M. & Moore, R. B. Molecular origins of the thermal transitions and dynamic mechanical relaxations in perfluorosulfonate ionomers. Macromolecules 38, 6472–6484 (2005)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Weiss, R., Izzo, E. & Mandelbaum, S. New design of shape memory polymers: mixtures of an elastomeric ionomer and low molar mass fatty acids and their salts. Macromolecules 41, 2978–2980 (2008)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Deng, Q., Wilkie, C. A., Moore, R. B. & Mauritz, K. A. TGA-FTi.r. investigation of the thermal degradation of Nafion and Nafion/silicon oxide-based nanocomposites. Polymer 39, 5961–5972 (1998)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Xie, T. & Hayden, C. A. A kinetic model for the chemical degradation of perfluorinated sulfonic acid ionomers: weak end groups versus side chain cleavage. Polymer 48, 5497–5506 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Yakacki, C. M. et al. Unconstrained recovery characterization of shape-memory polymer networks for cardiovascular applications. Biomaterials 28, 2255–2263 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Gall, K. et al. Thermomechanics of the shape memory effect in polymers for biomedical applications. J. Biomed. Mater. Res. A 73A, 339–348 (2005)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Rodriguez, E., Luo, X. & Mather, P. T. Miscible blends of linear and crosslinked poly(ε-caprolactone) for shape memory assisted self-healing. Mater. Res. Soc. Fall Meet. Symp. BB (Polymer-Based Smart Materials–Process, Properties, and Application) abstr. BB5.19 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Miaudet, P. et al. Shape and temperature memory of nanocomposites with broadened glass transition. Science 318, 1294–1296 (2007)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Gall, K. et al. Internal stress storage in shape memory polymer nanocomposites. Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 290–292 (2004)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Li, J., Viveros, J. A., Wrue, M. H. & Anthamatten, M. Shape-memory effects in polymer networks containing reversibly associating side-groups. Adv. Mater. 19, 2851–2855 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Kushner, A. M., Vossler, J. D., Williams, G. A. & Guan, Z. A biomimetic modular polymer with tough and adaptive properties. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131, 8766–8768 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Ping, P., Wang, W., Chen, X. & Jing, X. Poly(ε-caprolactone) polyurethane and its shape memory property. Biomacromolecules 6, 587–592 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

I thank I. Rousseau, H. Kia, P. Krajewski, X. Huang and M. Verbrugge for comments, D. Eckel for Infrared analysis, and R. L. Speer Jr for X-ray analysis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mail Code: 480-106-710, Chemical Sciences and Materials Systems Laboratory, General Motors Research and Development Center, 30500 Mound Road, Warren, Michigan 48090-9055, USA ,

    Tao Xie

Authors
  1. Tao Xie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tao Xie.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The author declares no competing financial interests.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Information

This file contains Supplementary Methods and Supplementary Figures S1-S9 with Legends. (PDF 263 kb)

PowerPoint slides

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Xie, T. Tunable polymer multi-shape memory effect. Nature 464, 267–270 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08863

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08863

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing